Do African American's tan?

Question

I need everyone to reply with the truth. My friend does not believe that I can tan. Yes, I am African American. Please.....assist me in bringing her to the table. Come on now....

Answer 1

all people can tan,except for the ones who just burn,blister and peal,of course African decent people tan.

Answer 2

Yes, African Americans can tan, regardless of how dark you are. It just takes more Sun and time for some people than others. It depends on the UV/Sunlight intensity and length of time exposed. I was out in the Sun in Texas for 4 hours straight on a very hot day and got sun burned. I am super dark and I had never had sunburn before (I'm originally from the north).

Another thing to consider is that African Americans come in a variety of shades too. You can be light bright and damn near white (and tan and burn like white people do after a few minutes in the sun) or blue black (like me) and take several hours to tan, and may never burn. We all do tan though.

Answer 3

Yes.

The ability to tan is determined by the amount of melanin in the tissues. Geneerally speaking, the more melanin one has, the darker their hair and eyes tend to be. Darker people's skin contains higher levels of melanin, while very fair people contain lower levels. The melanin is a protective feature. That is why very fair people have a greater need to use sunscreen and avoid the sun. While darker skinned people have more melanin and tan somewhat less, that still does not preculde them from tanning at all and, furthermore, from becoming sunburned. ALL people should use sunscreen to avoid melanomas. This is particularly true of children, as it has been found that most skin cancers began in childhood.

The following is quoted from YourSkinDoctor.com:

"Q. I'm a African American female age 27. My skin complexion is brown. The problem is that the area on my face that they call the "T" area is lighter than the rest of my face by one or two shades. I sometimes get dry patches on my face as well. What can you do to help me?

A. Sometimes darker skin can get lighter when there is associated inflammation. Seborrhea (dandruff) is very common in the "T" zone. Anti-seborrheic shampoos and over-the-counter hydrocortisone creams help control this. A sunscreen is also beneficial as the skin around the involved area will darken in sunlight and increase the contrast between the light and dark skin. This takes many weeks to improve. Remember, African-Americans can get suntan and sunburn. (YSD product recommendations - Medicated Moisturizing Shampoo, Soothing Cream with Aloe and Daily Protectant Sunscreen.)"

The articles below offer a number of different reflections on the same topic, from humorous to scientific:

Answer 4

Of course we tan. Anyone who stays out in the sun long enough will eventually grow darker. The body produces more melanin to protect the skin from the harmful effects of the sun; this extra production of melanin is what we call tanning. You can tell that you have tanned when you take off your shirt or sandals; the part of the body that was covered by the fabric or shoes will be lighter than the skin that was not covered.

Answer 5

I can only tell you what I have seen with my own eyes. Years ago, I was one of a group of Air Force technicians sent to Eglin Air Force Base, FL. We got some time off, and spent an entire
day on the beach under the Destin bridge swimming and surf fishing in our bathing suits. We all got sunburned, including my African-American friends, and we all peeled. Do African-Americans tan? Most definitely, yes.

Answer 6

Sorry, but I'm white and have been keep in the dark on that subject. Now that I'm thinking about it, yes AA become darker, especially in tropical zones. Why? Because the dark pigmentation is melatonin. AA have more melatonin because of adaptation over many generations of direct exposure to the sun. Those with more melatonin survived better in tropical climates. AA's become darker because like other races sun exposure stimulates the production of more melatonin pigmentation as a defensive mechanism against harmful UV radiation.

Answer 7

I think a lot of people tan... and dark-skinned people can still have darker skin after tanning! I remember some of my friends having a noticeable tan, even though they didn't have African roots. I don't support tanning much, though, because it can result in skin cancer.

Answer 8

Yes, they do. How deeply they tan depends upon how much pigmentation their skin contains to begin with. I have six Afro-American grandchildren, and they are all much darker at the end of summer than at the beginning. One responds in a surprising manner to the summer sun -- as her skin gets darker, her hair turns red! Very attractive!

Answer 9

Yes, we can get tans. As a child I would stay outside all day in the summer and as a result my skin would be a darker shade than it would be in the winter when I spent less time outside.

Answer 10

I am native american and I have many african american friends. One fella told me that they do tan but wouold rather not because black attracts more heat than other colors. to test this theory he ask me to wear a bright colored shirt one day and black the next. Sure "nuff" it was hot. He just meant that they do tan and burn more than others.

Answer 11

Yes they do. Some tan more than others since the American melting pot is more and more of a race blend.